Protective case that facilitates the joining of ground, smokable tobacco and herbs with preformed conical smoking wrappers by gravity and inertia through applied force and motion and the method of the same.

ABSTRACT

This protective case facilitates the joining of ground, smokable tobacco and herbs with preformed conical smoking wrappers by gravity and inertia through applied force and motion. The case and method of joining by the case improves upon an otherwise time consuming, current method, by eliminating the filling and compacting practice of the current method. The case also improves messiness and transportation as added features.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED PROVISIONAL APPLICATION

This present application claims priority upon Provisional application No. 62/381,478 filed on Aug. 31, 2016.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Related Art

The claimed invention is related to the tobacco and herbal smoking community and is a tool that addresses common problems that exist with the conventional method of joining these, typically granulated, smokable products into hand-rolled or manufactured cone-shaped smoking wrappers; called cones. It has also invented to exist as a carrying case whereupon completing the joining process.

The conventional method, as mentioned, is by using a single cone to scoop up small amounts of ground smokable tobacco and herbs, holding the open end of the cone upward allowing the small amount to fall into the cone. This is done until a the desirable amount is reached and then a thin blunt-tipped object is used to compact the product. That process is repeated until the cone is filled to the desired point.

The amount of time, effort and mess that is consistent with using the conventional method to join smokable tobacco and/or smokable herbs into the cones has caused many to look for a solution. Moreover, the susceptibility to accidental breakage when carrying the joined cones becomes an unavoidable consequence that the claimed invention has also addressed.

For the joining process, the practice of gravity joining cones for selling to consumers exists within the cannabis industry overseas in the manufacturing of cannabis cigarettes. In that industry, they have a similar problem to the problems expressed above, which is being able to join the cannabis to cones with speed. The tool they use is a disc shaped tray approximately 20 inches in diameter and is made to hold cones with the openings facing upward while gravity and tapping allows for the cannabis to fill the cones. It appears that it can be used for joining tens or hundreds of cones at once. However, the solution they have chosen has an open top which allows a greater chance for mess, it uses a greater amount of cannabis than can fit in the cones they are filling for the purposes of allowing the weight of the excess to aid in the compacting process, and the tray is just beyond the size and scope of the portability characteristics that this invention was intending to meet.

As far as the protective function of the claimed invention, there are no cases similar at all. This problem is a secondary problem which is an unavoidable consequence of joining a cone but not smoking it right away or joining more than one cone at a time and saving one or more for later. However, the only solutions are not intended to be solutions but is the consumer using what they can find. The claimed invention in this application has this solution as one of its primary functions.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The claimed invention is enclosed allowing for greater speed and less mess; it has all of the aforementioned, portability characteristics in that it can carry the joined cones and protect them from breakage while maintaining a size which makes stowing and transportation feasible. How this is accomplished is by first, enclosing the process where the smokable product is inserted into the cones, second, by making the joining process easier by not only combining the methods of inserting and compacting the smokable product into the cones, but also by directing the flow of the product into the cones all in one motion that can be repeated as needed to achieve the desired outcome without the necessity for precise aim.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

For a complete understanding of the claimed invention, reference is now made to the following drawings and consequent detailed description of the invention:

FIG. 1 is an exploded, elevation view from the wider side of the assembly showing items 1, 2 and 3 disassemble yet maintaining the individual orientation when assembled

FIG. 2 is an exploded, elevation view from the narrower side of the assembly; otherwise similar to FIG. 1

FIG. 3 is an elevation view of a partial assembly of items 1 and 3

FIG. 4 is an elevation view of a the full assembly of items 1, 2 and 3

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of item 1 showing the middle lip 4 and the base lip 5 as well as a perspective view of one half of the snap fit 6

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of item 3 showing a perspective view of some of the funnels 12 and also the other half of the snap fit 7

FIG. 7 is a cross section drawing of the full assembly of items 1, 2 and 3 allowing a view of the relationship of each part to one another in their assembled state as well as the a cross section of the cone-shaped cavities (8) and a view of the small edge (11) inside the cover (2) that impedes spillage

FIG. 8 is a plan view from the top of the full assembly of items 1, 2 and 3 with a broken line (9) indicating the plane from which FIG. 7 is cut with the arrows indicating the view of FIG. 7

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of FIG. 8 for clarity

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The claimed invention can be constructed of many different materials such as wood, plastics and metals. It can also have many different shapes. The key elements that make the claimed invention unique is that the claimed invention has cone-shaped cavities that support the cones from breaking during and after the joining process, and that the cavities are large enough to allow for the ground tobacco and/or herbs to be tightly compacted within the cone wrappers; that the cavities size varies from the exact size of the cone wrappers up to double the size of the cone wrappers; that the claimed invention has funnels providing for aimless flow of the ground smokable products into the cones; and that the claimed invention has a chamber where the ground tobacco and/or herbs can be inserted whereupon the grounds, the cones and the process of joining or filling and compacting the cone wrappers can then be enclosed within the claimed invention. The shape and the material used are basically unlimited.

The size is typically limited to the size of the cones and the number of cones intended to be joined and carried by the case. This could range from one cone to as many as one is likely to find still portable and still remain functional.

The version of the claimed invention represented in the associated drawings comprises three pieces, the body (1), the cover (2) and the funnel cap (3). The assembly of the pieces is by first inserting the opening end of the cone-shaped cavities of the body (1) into the open and fitted end of the funnel cap (3) until the snap fits (6, 7) are fully aligned as in FIG. 3. Then inserting the body (1) and funnel cap (3) assembly (FIG. 3) into the open end of the cover (2) until fully seated as shown in FIG. 4.

How it is used is by pouring ground smokable product into the cover (2) while the open end of the cover (2) is upward. Then insert the cone-shaped wrappers into the cavities (8) of the body (1). Then assemble the 3 pieces as described in the previous paragraph; snapping the funnel cap (3) onto the body (1) until the snap fits (6, 7) are fully aligned with one another and the funnel cap (3) rest on the middle lip (4) of the body (1), and with the cone-shaped wrappers being held open at their open end by the directional apertures (or funnels (12)) of the funnel cap (3). Then the body (1) and funnel cap (3) assembly (FIG. 3) are turned with the open end of the cone-shaped wrappers facing down then inserted in the open end of the cover (2), open upward, until the cover (2) fully rests on the base lip (5) of the body (1). Then the entire assembly (FIG. 4, FIG. 9) is turned over so that the ground smokable products may fall toward the cone-shaped wrapper openings that are aimed toward the ground smokable products. The entire assembly (FIG. 4, FIG. 9) is then tapped with varying degrees of force and motion cause the product to first fill and then compact the ground smokable product with the same varying degree of tapping, producing varying outcomes which are all acceptable outcomes but allowing the end user to choose for themselves the desired compaction and fill of the joined cone or cones.

How it works is that the chamber (10) created between the cover (2) and the funnel cap (3) when assembled is, firstly, large enough for the measured amount of ground smokable product that is intended to be joined so that when the body (1) and funnel cap assembly (FIG. 3) is inserted fully into the cover (2), it does not compact the ground smokable product within the cover. Also, the lip (11) inside the cover (2) prevents the ground smokable product from falling in between the cover (2) and the body (1) and funnel cap (3) assembly (FIG. 3). Finally, when tapping the case on surfaces that may very in degrees of hardness, the force and motion applied to the case is also applied to the ground smokable product within the case. The inertia caused by the force and motion on the ground smokable product causes it to continue moving toward the cone wrappers when the case has stopped moving upon colliding with said surface. Once the ground smokable product has collected within the cone wrappers, the ground smokable products can no longer freely move with each collision of the case against said surface. Therefore, the applied force and motion causes the ground smokable product to settle and compact under its own weight. 

1. A case comprising a main body with a cavity or cavities in one end and a fitted lid or cover creating an enclosed chamber at the other end with a separate piece between said main body and fitted cover having a funnel or funnels,
 2. the case of claim 1 may contain any number of cavities, corresponding funnels and corresponding enclosed chamber size
 3. the main body of claim 1 comprising cavities which are conical or cylindrical bearing a size and shape so that said cavity or cavities facilitate the insertion of one or more cone-shaped wrappers, where said cone wrappers consist of a rolled, cylindrical or conical, elongated tubes consisting of thin wrapping material, each tube having two ends, one end being open and free from blockage and being designated herein as the fill end, while the other end, whether open or closed or blocked by any substance or combination of substances, is being designated herein as the filter end, and where said cone-shaped wrapper sizes correspond to industry standard and non-industry standard sizes of preformed and hand rolled cones and or papers
 4. the cavity sizes of claim 1 facilitate the compacting of ground smokable tobacco and/or herbs within said cone-shaped wrappers while inserted into the cavity or cavities, where said cone-shaped wrappers, upon completing the joining process, are fully joined with said ground smokable tobacco and/or herbs, meeting any desired density upon removal from said cavities
 5. the cavities of claim 1 prevent said cones from ripping, tearing or breaking while said ground smokable tobacco and/or herbs are being joined to the cones within said cavities or while said case is subject to outside forces while being used for transport and storage of said joined cones and ground smokable tobacco and/or herbs being
 6. the fitted lid or cover of claim 1 being designed and capable of assembly with the main body, whereupon said assembly causes an enclosed chamber that corresponds in size to the amount of ground smokable tobacco and/or herbs at the opposite end of the case in which the cavity or cavities are made, yet without compaction of said ground smokable tobacco and/or herbs within the enclosed chamber before said process of joining said cone or cones to said ground smokable tobacco and/or herbs begins, and
 7. the cap, lid or cover of claim 1 comprises a small ledge at the inner seam where the cap, lid or cover abuts with the main body or an assembly comprising the main body and funnel piece, where within the enclosed chamber, the spilling of ground smokable tobacco and/or herbs through the small gap between the pieces during the joining process is impeded, and
 8. the funnels of claim 1 between the enclosed chamber end of said case and the cavity end of said case, consists of one or more, funneling passageways corresponding to the number of said cones that said case is being used to join with ground smokable tobacco and/or herbs, where
 9. the funnels of claim 1 narrow toward the cone or cones and fit within the fill end of said cone or cones and prevent the closure of the fill end of said cone or cones
 10. the funnels of claim 1 also provide directional flow of said ground smokable tobacco and/or herbs into said cone or cones in which the flow of ground smokable tobacco and/or herbs is, to some degree, impeded when the direction of force is reversed from the intended joining process, whereby the method of joining ground smokable tobacco and/or herbs and preformed smoking cones to a desired amount and compaction is facilitated by the following method.
 11. A method of joining ground smokable tobacco and/or herbs with preformed, cone-shaped smoking wrappers to a desired amount and density, using the case of claim 1 by applying force and motion
 12. the case in claim 11, comprising one or more parts, which when assembled and/or when all openings have been closed, causes an adequate sized enclosed chamber on one end for the inserting of ground smokable tobacco or herbs in amounts corresponding to the number and volume of said cones intended to be filled, and
 13. the case in claim 11, comprising cone shaped cavity or cavities on the opposite end of said case from said enclosed chamber, whereupon being fully assembled and/or closed, features a passageway, channel, funnel, or directional aperture allowing and/or promoting the transfer of ground smokable tobacco and/herbs from said enclosed chamber end of the case to the cavity end of the case when force is applied
 14. the ground smokable tobacco and/or herbs of claim 11 are inserted into said enclosed chamber end of said case, and the preformed cone-shaped smoking wrappers are inserted into the cavity end of the case, whereupon the case is then tapped one or more times on the side or end of the container where inertia from the tapping produces force through the long dimension of the cone or cones within the case, which force, being in the direction of passing from the fill end of said cone or cones to the filter end of said cone or cones and causing the ground smokable tobacco and/or herbs to move from the initial enclosed chamber end of the case in which the ground smokable tobacco and/or herbs was first inserted, toward the cone or cones and ultimately, through the fill end of the cone or cones through the interior and settling in the filter end of said cone or cones wherein the ground smokable tobacco and/or herbs eventually compress
 15. the applied force and motion of claim 11, whereby whatever desired and varying degrees of force, and by way of inertia and/or gravity, the ground smokable tobacco and/or herbs, fully pass from said enclosed chamber end, which the ground smokable tobacco and/or herbs was first inserted, into the cone or cones, whereupon it is also compacted by continuing said tapping motion until the desired fill and density is reached, whereby the ground smokable tobacco and/or herbs and smoking cones are joined to the desired amount and density. 